Understand the neurochemistry of sex
Orgasm is generally regarded as the ultimate goal of recreational sex.
Wilhelm Reich was the first scientist to describe the nature and purpose of the
orgasm as a discharge of excess bio-energy with the additional liberation of
feeling energy, and he also recognized the negative consequences of blocked
sexual energies.
Unfortunately, in addition to exciting peaks, orgasms tend to produce
powerful negative side-effects that are only now becoming better understood.
This is due to predictable trends in hormonal activity which seem to be similar
in all mammals to ensure certain evolutionary objectives, especially the wide
mixing of gene pools and the safe raising of offspring. This is achieved with
the following neurochemical changes.
The main players are dopamine, the
reward hormone; prolactin, the hormone of satiation; oxytocin, the cuddle
hormone, and levels of androgen receptors, which all powerfully affect our
mood, our desire for intimacy, our perception of our mate, as well as our
susceptibility to addictive activities and substances. These hormones can also
have different but generally related functions.
Additionally the stimulant phenylethylamine (PEA) is
involved, which is also present in cocoa and chocolate and elevates energy,
mood and attention. PEA is produced in greater amounts when one is in love;
conversely a deficiency (common in manic-depressives) causes unhappy feelings.
When we first fall in love we become bonded by rising
PEA, oxytocin and dopamine levels When we are sexually aroused by close contact
our dopamine level rises further and at the time of orgasm we have a dopamine
brainstorm which one researcher compared to the effects of heroin on the brain.
Dopamine is active in all addictions, even in people who have forgotten what
sex is. Most of this activity is in the limbic system, the oldest part of the
brain.
After orgasm dopamine levels fall sharply with the usual
withdrawal symptoms. This reaction tends to be immediate in males and delayed in
females. Also prolactin levels rise, and androgen receptors fall after orgasm. Low testosterone is associated with irritability and
anger. In sexually-satiated rats it has been shown that serotonin and endorphin
levels also rise, and this also decreases dopamine and raises prolactin levels.
Oxytocin levels fall after conventional orgasm but remaining in close contact
may help to counter this drop and sustain oxytocin levels.
Behavioral
changes from this disturbed hormone equilibrium have been noticed for up to two weeks. During this time we may be more
irritable, dissatisfied, anxious or depressed, and instead of seeing the good
side of our mate, we may now be painfully aware of his or her shortcomings.
This is exactly the same process and length of time prolactin levels need to
recover during withdrawal from cocaine.
Initially,
during the honeymoon period of our relationship, we remain strongly bonded by
high oxytocin levels, and quickly overcome our hormonal blues by having more
sex. Initially sex stimulates us to crave for more sex. This leads to rapid
rises and falls in dopamine levels and corresponding rapid emotional
fluctuations in our relationship. Later we become less and less interested in
sex with our partner (perhaps because we subconsciously begin to
associate him or her with the “lows” of the cycle, or perhaps because we grow
tired of being used as a fix, and therefore feel less attraction), and now we try to prop up our dopamine level by becoming
addicted to some kind of food or drug, or by becoming interested in a new
sexual partner. Basically this type of behavior is the same for humans,
primates, mammals and reptiles because it originates from the primitive part of
our brain.
To be continued!!!!
Mh.never knew tht
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